Fag End

A senior colleague of mine was hospitalised last month when he had cardio problem. Apart from his high stress levels, smoking was said to be the culprit for his heart ailment. Before that, he had in fact cut down his smoking by half. But that did not come to his aid.

The other day I came across a newspaper report about a Norwegian study, which found that stubbing out was the only way to cut the risk.
The participants were assessed for cardio vascular risk factors at the start of the study and then monitored for an average period of 20 years. They were categorized in various groups, including non-smokers, moderate smokers (upto 14 a day) and reducers, who smoked more that 15 cigarettes a day, at the start of the study, but who had cut back by more than half.
It is found that smoking just one to four cigarettes a day increased the risk of dying from heart disease dramatically.
Research has further shown that smoking one cigarette a day reduces smoker's life by five minutes.
The age-old suggestion "if you can't get rid of smoking, at least cut down" seems to have lost its relevance health-wise in view of these latest findings.
Smokers! Beware each puff of a fag is playing havoc with your life.
Either you carry on your royal habit of smoking fag after fag, after sumptuous meals or in between without inhibition OR stub it out completely.